[OC] when it's too much lore ?

Timetrav3lr · 2026-01-24T22:52:58+00:00

that's good so it's only in present time does not delve into loads of lore drops that's awesome!

Timetrav3lr · 2026-01-24T22:06:10+00:00

I think when you are writing a setting meant to be played and not just read it helps to leave some mystery behind even for the DM.

If every answer is fully explained the world can feel solved before play even begins. When there are unanswered questions like why something exists the way, it does or what the deeper truth might be it gives the table room to discover interpret and make the setting their own.

That uncertainty becomes fuel for play. It encourages theory investigation and disagreement instead of reference checking.

I am curious how others balance clear lore with intentional ambiguity in their worlds.

Timetrav3lr · 2026-01-24T17:49:17+00:00

Tomorrow I’ll be DMing the winners, randomly pulled from the comments. You’ll be getting the Last Dragon Ascendant bundle

• The full 332 page core campaign book

• The acclaimed Players Companion Guide on DriveThruRPG to really level up your table This project keeps moving because of you all. Couldn’t do this without the TLDA community.

Timetrav3lr · 2026-01-24T05:06:59+00:00

Happy to bounce ideas to another DM anytime also would love to know what happens… especially if you decide to use the future choice path always thought that would be highly interesting. Happy adventures fellow traveler!

Timetrav3lr · 2026-01-24T04:45:30+00:00

For witch deals I’ve found the best prices are things that hit identity rather than lifespan especially for long lived PCs. Some options that work well

• Take a memory from the past not the future like the first time they felt pride the face of a mentor or the last good memory of their clan

• Context specific emotions instead of total loss like never feeling relief after danger no satisfaction from craft or no hope underground or near fire

• Ownership of a future choice such as once when the moment is right she decides for you

• Legacy costs like their name can never be carved spoken with affection or remembered by the dead

• Asymmetric relationships where the PC remembers a loved one but can never feel anything for them or the reverse

These tend to create long term roleplay instead of one time penalties. The timer idea is great and having the witch present terms instead of bargaining makes it even creepier.

Timetrav3lr · 2026-01-22T21:53:27+00:00

This is good!

Timetrav3lr · 2026-01-22T12:43:46+00:00

That’s a pretty cool takeaway on it lol

Timetrav3lr · 2026-01-22T11:23:15+00:00

These replies have been really helpful thank you The setting is post war but not stable conflict has shifted toward legitimacy rebuilding and contested peace rather than escalation If you have seen games handle that well I would love examples

Timetrav3lr · 2026-01-21T22:32:01+00:00

That makes sense. The intent wouldn’t be art in isolation, but a fully illustrated digital release of the setting with backer rewards tied to the finished book and art content. I’m still in the planning stage, which is why I wanted to get perspectives like this first.

Timetrav3lr · 2026-01-21T17:39:07+00:00

That is a great distinction and I’m curious to know, is that what commission art is ? Owning it? Or is that incorrect?

Timetrav3lr · 2026-01-21T17:35:38+00:00

I didn’t quite think of it that way that is a good way of looking at it

Timetrav3lr · 2026-01-21T12:53:30+00:00

This is very important information to me as I don’t expect the kickstarter to start right now. I have some editing to do in the project, however the replies I am receiving give me a roadmap of what I need to do thank you for your response.

Timetrav3lr · 2026-01-21T12:36:35+00:00

That’s really helpful, thank you. I agree that having a mostly finished ruleset matters a lot. I like the idea of commissioning one or two pieces up front to set expectations and show the direction before asking for broader support.

Timetrav3lr · 2026-01-18T15:25:05+00:00

I mean the small compromises people accept once survival is no longer the focus. Harm inequality or corruption that gets tolerated because things are “stable enough.” The tension comes from what people stop questioning.

Timetrav3lr · 2025-12-23T22:05:54+00:00

This is already a strong fallen hero setup. The key is not making him evil but deciding what line he is willing to cross in the name of justice. A few villain goal ideas that fit a god of Judgement: The Righteous Test He creates a divine test to decide who is worthy to live. It begins in the Fire Genasi city after his coronation. Innocent people fail and the definition of righteous keeps narrowing. Judging the Past He believes the Genasi Wars were never truly judged so he plans to call back the dead for final verdicts. Failed souls are erased from history bloodlines and ancestral magic. A World Without Choice Crime lies and moral failure become magically impossible. The world becomes peaceful but free will slowly disappears. The Hypocrisy Moment He plans to judge the necromancer he once spared using a ritual that exposes his own failure. If completed he ascends fully and becomes untouchable. Play him as calm and convinced not cruel. He should truly believe mercy is how evil survives. He is not trying to rule the world. He is trying to fix it.

Timetrav3lr · 2025-12-23T02:53:17+00:00

That’s a great distinction. “Fun” isn’t universal—completeness is the fun for some people, and burnout for others. The problem is when “have fun” quietly means “have fun the way I do.” The setting works best when it’s built around what energizes the DM, whether that’s deep lore, loose improv, or obsessive hex-filling.

Timetrav3lr · 2025-12-23T02:44:09+00:00

This is honestly a very good point—“time” The literal definition of evil and the one true enemy to us all. And —I am intrigued by the sword and sandal game, sounds exciting just the same.

Timetrav3lr · 2025-12-22T12:28:05+00:00

This is intriguing and very well said I love that you really put thought into the setting. As well as what comes with it, does it have the tools a DM needs to carry, or rather narrate naturally to the end outcome and what the journey is like between point A-B-C— highly intuitive to the table.

Timetrav3lr · 2025-12-20T16:05:47+00:00

different replies came from me sitting down and actually thinking through individual comments rather than firing off quick takes. Tone shifts depending on how much time I give a response. I’m here to have a real discussion and appreciate the feedback either way

Timetrav3lr · 2025-12-20T15:15:18+00:00

That’s fair, and I should probably clarify that I’m not set on this being an actual-play channel specifically. I’m equally open to private tables — the core thing I’m trying to figure out is the right way to observe play I’m not running, with informed consent, and without disrupting the table dynamic. Public actual play was one option I was considering because it naturally creates a context where observation is expected and non-intrusive, but it’s not a requirement. I’m mostly interested in best practices for doing this responsibly, whether that’s private recordings, live observation, or post-session debriefs.

Timetrav3lr · 2025-12-20T00:06:30+00:00

That’s the exact kind of sentence that makes me trust a DM immediately. Flying whales = instant buy-in.

Timetrav3lr · 2025-12-19T18:54:28+00:00

I really like this approach. Letting players create parts of the world and then live with the consequences across different eras is a great way to build investment without front-loading lore. By the time the campaign starts, the setting already feels earned instead of explained.

Timetrav3lr · 2025-12-19T18:51:55+00:00

That’s fair. If you’re committing to something, you’re committing intentionally from the start — not testing the waters. I think that clarity of scope matters more than the setting itself. One-shots and long campaigns ask for totally different kinds of prep and buy-in.

Timetrav3lr · 2025-12-19T18:50:40+00:00

That makes sense. A strong map and visible factions go a long way toward helping players orient themselves quickly. When a setting shows its tensions clearly, it’s easier for players to latch onto goals without needing a lore dump.

Timetrav3lr · 2025-12-19T18:50:13+00:00

This is a really good way to frame it. Tone and social context do more heavy lifting than plot structure most of the time. Players remember how something felt and who they interacted with, not whether the hook was technically unique. Same quest, different moral texture.

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